The Page That Shouldn't Be Read

On my way to training the next day, someone was tailing me. Even as I staked out a spot in the courtyard to start my real workout, she kept watching me from the corner of the building, like she had no intention of leaving.

"Hmm..."

I debated ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pretending to notice her for a second, but decided to just let her do whatever. 'She'll get bored and leave on her own.' Ignoring her completely, I focused on my training.

After finishing up and washing off at the well, I headed back to the room—only to find Marie wasn't there.

"..."

That's when I turned around and realized she hadn't followed me back. With a bad feeling, I returned to the courtyard. Sure enough, there she was, slumped against the building corner, fast asleep.

"Hehe~ Mmm..." She mumbled in her sleep.

I poked her cheek.

"...H-Hey, don't... It hurts..."

I poked deeper...

"...Ugh... Y-You... booze-hound..."

Her sleep-talking continued, but she showed no signs of waking. She was out cold.

"Sigh..."

No choice—I scooped her up and carried her back to the room. I laid her on the bed and woke her just in time for the curfew.

"Huh!?"

She looked totally confused ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about how she'd gotten back, but there was no time for questions; she had to hurry and get ready for morning prayers. Even on the way to the chapel, she kept staring daggers at me.

"What?" I finally couldn't take it and asked first.

"Someone's targeting Reina, right?"

Sharp as expected. She'd vaguely picked up on it too.

"Probably?"

"Let me help. You're planning something, aren't you?"

I turned to look at her. Marie's face was dead serious, her eyes clear and mature beyond her years as she gazed steadily at me.

"Even menial stuff is fine. I won't... ask anything that'd put Reina in a tough spot."

"Questions?"

"...Yeah. Like why you're being targeted... what your connection to them is... I don't care about your secrets. Well, not that I'm not interested... I mean, I won't pry..."

She knew exactly the concerns I had. 'Well... should be fine. Nothing for her to uncover anyway. And...'

I stepped closer, locking eyes with her. 'Better have some insurance.'

Her eyes were deep like a clear lake, pulling me in with an odd power. Her face slowly flushed red.

"...R-Reina?"

As she shyly tried to back away, I extended my hand.

"Fine. Now that we're in this together, I won't forgive betrayal."

"...Got it. I'm ready."

Her small hand gripped mine firmly.

"But Reina... your hands are so tiny."

"My hands?"

New way to pick a fight these days?

"Smaller than mine."

I glanced down at our clasped hands again. Well, it was true, but the difference was tiny.

"You know what, though?"

"What?"

"They say you can guess how much kids will grow up to be based on their hand size."

What country's superstition is that?

"Bullshit."

"Aww, but isn't it fine?"

"Nope."

"Think about it. It's better if you stay small and cute like this."

"No, it's not."

"The other kids think so too. Ever since you came to the monastery, not just the boys but the girls were all going nuts over how cute Reina is."

I'd admit I'm smaller than my peers, but I didn't know I was getting this kind of treatment.

"I'll grow. I'm exercising hard and eating well."

I deliberately stretched my back straight, raising both arms high like a big yawn.

Marie just shook her head.

"But height's more genetic than effort."

"So it's possible. My parents—whom I've never met—could be tall, busty stunners, and I could take after them and shoot up all..."

"Pfft, that's... too ambitious a dream, Reina."

"..."

"Based on your current growth..."

Before she could finish, I pinched her cheek and yanked.

"Ow, it hurts..."

"That's the point."

"...Ugh... S-Sorry... Won't tease anymore... Let go now..."

I thoroughly enjoyed kneading her chubby cheeks before slowly releasing.

"No mercy for a girl just hitting puberty."

"Hehe... Sorry."

Well... at least the tension eased. Whether her joke was meant to do that, who knows. Suddenly, she got serious.

"But... do you have a plan?"

"Yeah."

I quietly pulled out the prepared letter from my habit and showed it to her.

"What do you think?"

"Kinda... like a handwritten note old grandparents would exchange..."

Harsh critique.

"It's a love letter? What're you gonna do with this?"

I'd planned to tease her if she freaked out, but she beat me to the punch.

"Not a love letter—a blackmail note."

"Blackmail? A threat?"

Taking the letter back, I shrugged nonchalantly.

"To a normal person, it's just from someone who likes you and wants to confess, so come meet at this spot. But if someone's hiding a secret they can't let anyone know... what would they think?"

Marie crossed her arms, head down in thought, then answered.

"...Hmm, they'd think someone knows their secret and is using it to threaten them?"

"Exactly. I'll slip these to the suspects I narrowed down yesterday."

She still looked skeptical, squinting at my face.

"But will it work?"

"We'll see."

"What if they're not all of them?"

"No issue. If they're innocent, it's just a love letter. Even if they figure out it's us... we can say it was a prank."

"I see..."

... .. .

At lunchtime, I wolfed down my food and left the dining hall with Marie.

"You're really doing it?"

"Yeah."

We split the letters and agreed to deliver them secretly to our assigned targets, then meet back at the spot, chat lightly, and regroup at dinner.

'Now for the final ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠prep.'

After parting with her, I headed to the garden. Luckily, she was on her usual bench. Though she seemed tired lately—no book-reading today; she was lying down, fast asleep. A book that looked like what she'd been reading covered her face.

Worried it might be like last time... another dirty novel wide open, I approached cautiously and checked the cover.

Phew, normal title this time—not that genre. Looked like a standard novel. I lifted the book slightly to wake her, but another slipped out from underneath.

"..."

The cover made me facepalm without a word. Yup, an erotic novel. A different kind from last time...

"Sigh..."

A sigh escaped despite myself; I couldn't hide my disappointment. Still, she slept soundly, her drool stain on the lifted book the only thing breaking the silence.

'What's so great about this stuff...? Reading it every day?'

I glanced at the title absentmindedly.

The blatantly vulgar title wrinkled my nose, yet it stuck curiously, stirring interest.

"..."

I peeked at sleeping Vanessa's face, then back at the book, swallowing hard. 'Is it really that good?'

Curiosity bubbled up. 'Just a quick peek?'

After hesitating, I sat on the empty spot by her bench and flipped it open slightly.

... .. .

It wasn't just sex scenes; the story buildup was solid too. Surprisingly, the plot was the real hook.

'This... is kinda fun?'

Before I knew it, I turned the page, sucked into the tale.